[A Meta-analysis on association between statins and colorectal cancer].

Objective: To explore the association between statins and colorectal cancer and provide evidence for the prevention of colorectal cancer. Methods: Literatures about statins and colorectal cancer published from January 2000 to January 2020 were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang data, PubMed and Cochrane Library database. The literatures which met the inclusion criteria were collected, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Jadad score were used to assess the studies. Meta-analysis was performed with statistical software Revman 5.0 and Stata 12.1. Results: A total of 31 studies, involving more than 1.62 million subjects, were included in the analysis. The case-control study (RR=0.93, 95%CI: 0.88-0.98), the cohort study (RR=0.75, 95%CI: 0.63-0.88) and the randomized controlled trial (RR=0.79, 95%CI: 0.65-0.97) showed moderate protective effect of statins. Using statin <5 years (RR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.76-0.96), average daily dosage ≥34 mg (RR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.66-0.98) and lipid-soluble statins (RR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.74-0.99) also had preventive effect on colorectal cancer; while lovastatin (RR=1.07, 95%CI: 1.00-1.14) increased the risk of colorectal cancer. Conclusion: Statins have protective effect on colorectal cancer.

Inhibition of glutathione synthesis with propargylglycine enhances N-acetylmethionine protection and methylation in bromobenzene-treated Syrian hamsters.

The finding that liver necrosis caused by the environmental glutathione (GSH)-depleting chemical, bromobenzene (BB) is associated with marked impairment in O- and S-methylation of BB metabolites in Syrian hamsters raises questions concerning the role of methyl deficiency in BB toxicity. N-Acetylmethionine (NAM) has proven to be an effective antidote against BB toxicity when given after liver GSH has been depleted extensively. The mechanism of protection by NAM may occur via a replacement of methyl donor and/or via an increase of GSH synthesis. If replacement of the methyl donor is an important process, then blocking the resynthesis of GSH in the methyl-repleted hamsters should not decrease NAM protection. This hypothesis was examined in this study. Propargylglycine (PPG), an irreversible inhibitor of cystathionase, was used to inhibit the utilization of NAM for GSH resynthesis. Two groups of hamsters were pretreated with an intraperitoneal (ip) dose of PPG (30 mg/kg) or saline 24 h before BB administration (800 mg/kg, ip). At 5 h after BB treatment, an ip dose of NAM (1200 mg/kg) was given. Light microscopic examinations of liver sections obtained 24 h after BB treatment indicated that NAM provided better protection (P < 0.05) in the PPG + BB + NAM group than in the BB + NAM group. Liver GSH content, however, was lower in the PPG + BB + NAM group than in the BB + NAM group. The Syrian hamster has a limited capability to N-deacetylated NAM. The substitution of NAM with methionine (Met; 450 mg/kg) resulted in a higher level of GSH in the BB + Met group than in the BB + NAM group (P < 0.05). The enhanced protection by PPG in the PPG + BB + NAM group was accompanied by higher (P < 0.05) urinary excretions of specificO- and S-methylated bromothiocatechols than in the BB + NAM group. The results suggest that NAM protection occurs primarily via a replacement of the methyl donor and that methyl deficiency occurring in response to GSH repletion plays a potential role in BB toxicity.

Replantation of severed limbs--clinical analysis of 91 cases.

From 1964 to 1980, 91 replantations of severed limbs were performed at Peking Ji Shui Tan Hospital, The People's Republic of China. Seventy of these replantations were successful, and 21 were failures, for a success rate of 77%. The highest success rate was in replantations at the wrist level, with the lowest success rate occurring for replantations at the proximal forearm. In clean-cut injuries, successful reattachment was achieved in 88%. Injuries resulting in twisting and tearing trauma inflicted by a revolving machine rendered the poorest outcome. No significant difference existed between the viability rates of replantations of complete or nearly complete severance. Causes of injury and failed replantations varied.